Album Review

I would have preferred a bit more scuzz, especially since the Whore Moans define themselves brazenly as scuzz rock. Hello From the Radio Wasteland does have moments when its transgressive ambitions bear fruit, but at other times it falls apart into lazy mimicry of old Taang! or Sub Pop bands.

Songs like “Fingers and Martyrs” and “Wall of a Song” slither along with great sleazy riffs and bam-bam drumming. Fast and trashy lines also prop up “Dead Man’s Drink” and “No Soul,” though the lyrics for both weigh them down. That is part of the problem here: The band is solid but wobbly, as should be any band with the Moans’ intentions, managing to mix in a little funk and garage at times. But the vocals are a bit too emotive, and the lyrics rarely rise above generic arena-rock one-liners about staying strong, getting fucked up and never giving up.

The Whore Moans want to be dangerous, but marketing themselves as such and then not delivering on that promise make Hello From the Radio Wasteland frustrating at best. Ultimately, we've heard all this before, despite the random teases to the contrary.